Jesus Wants You Healed!

Jesus' story of the good Samaritan has struck the consciousness of America so much that hospitals have taken the name Good Samaritan. For good reason: the parable of Christ contains, what I believe, are two important principles that could solve our health care crisis. (See Luke 10:30-37 for the story)

1. Health care should be universal.
The story is about a man left for dead on the streets, and several people refuse to help. It is a Samaritan who provides help to the injured man. Out of his own pocket, he bandages the man's wounds and gives his own money to the inn keeper to take care of him and promises, "I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have" (Luke 10:35).

This story proves that health care should not be dependent on the ability of the patient to pay. Every person has a right to quality health care.

Health care is not a commodity like a new car. If I cannot afford a new car, I buy a used one or take the bus. But if I cannot afford a new kidney, I don't have the luxury of forgoing a needed surgery. Life trumps money. So we must look to see that everyone receives health care.

2. Health care should be in the hands of individuals, not the government.
The hero of the story is a Samaritan, not a Roman official. Jesus did not make the government the champion of the story, but a private citizen.

There are several reasons why health care should not be in the hands of government.
First, as we saw in the Hobby Lobby case, government will try to strip citizens of their religious rights.

Second, government is inefficient. Whatever they run will always cost more.
Third, private citizens will take undo advantage of government health care, just as it is being done in other countries.

Citizens no doubt will rush to the emergency room for minor issues that a clinic could have solved. Private citizens will demand needless tests. This will cause health care costs to sky rocket or worse, when government runs low on money, they will have to ration care.

This brings up the fourth problem of government-run health care: bureaucrats will decide whether that 80-year-old man gets a bypass surgery. It is dangerous to put the decisions of health care in the hands of the government. People are best suited to decide their own health care.

So what is the answer?

Dr. Ben Carson, the famous retired neurologist who is credited with being the first surgeon to successfully separate conjoined twins and who has spoken twice at the national prayer breakfast with Presidents Clinton and Obama, has suggested a solution to our health care crisis.

He advises that U.S. citizens when born should get a Health Savings Account. Money is regularly deposited until they die. Money left in the accounts are given to their heirs.

People will be very careful to spend their HSA wisely. They will shop for good deals. They won't rush to the emergency room over an ingrown toenail. They won't demand needless tests. They might practice healthful living.

And in their old age, they will not demand every procedure that is not likely to help them, because they will want to bless their heirs with the money not spent.

And for those who run out of their HSA or become indigent, they could be helped, since the government would likely have more money to help those rare cases of major health needs.

Dr. Carson's idea is not written on two tablets of stone, but personally, I think his solution has merit.
It's time to talk about real solutions to the health care crisis and maintain the two principles that Jesus taught in His parable of the good Samaritan.

Bishop Tom Brown, pastor of Word of Life Church in El Paso.